The Citizen, 1998-02-11, Page 24February is
Heart and
Stroke Month.
Support the
Heart and Stroke
Foundation.
URS1114C
ENVICES
Box 100
• Visiting Nursing Belgrave, Ont.
• Palliative Care NOG 1E0
• Private Duty Nursing 3573010
Fax: 357-3143
zBe heart healthg
• if you smoke — quit. Your family physician and knal branch of
the furs Association or Cancer society have the tools you
need to kick the habit.
w Make time for regular aerobe activity.
tfiedtkoa ycur f 1 it-take to no more than 30 per cent of your
calceies.
Mairitain a healthy weight
. 10- Have regular checkups to Bataan for high cholesterol, high
'...;..0 .blood pressure aid diabetes
' Discuss the pros and cons of hOr,r1Grial replacement therapy
with your family doctor.
PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1998.
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Improving your odds
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Canada's #1 killer.
Women can't afford to ignore heart health
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887-9387
Scrimgeour's
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Blyth
Apothecary
Blyth
523-4210
If you're like most women, you think heart disease
won't happen to you. Think again!
While breast cancer tops the list of health concerns,
this year more women will die of heart disease than
all cancers combined — or any other cause for that
matter.
In fact, eight times more women will die from heart
disease and stroke than from breast cancer.
If this is news to you, you're not alone. Many people
still see heart disease as a "man's problem." That's
probably because men usually develop heart disease
earlier in life — seven to 10 years earlier on average.
At menopause, or by the time you reach 55, your
risk of heart disease increases four times. That's
when the level of the female hormone estrogen in
your body drops.
Estrogen appears to protect against narrowing of
the vessels that supply blood to the heart by raising
the level of so-called "good" cholesterol or high-
density lipoproteins (HDL). At the same time, the
hormone lowers the level of "bad" cholesterol or low-
density lipoproteins (LDL).
Still, you can't depend on estrogen alone to reduce
your chances of developing heart disease. High
cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, lack of
exercise, obesity, family history, and a high fat diet all
increase your probability of developing heart disease.
However, nothing increases your risk as much as
smoking — which can cancel out the positive effects of
lifestyle changes and may even eliminate the natural
protective benefits of estrogen.
Women with diabetes are twice as likely to develop
heart disease as diabetic men and face double the
risk of a second heart attack. This risk jumps again if
the diabetic woman is a smoker.
The message is clear: it's never too early to make
heart health a priority. While it's true that you can't
change your family history, there are a number of
ways to cut your risk.
Proper nutrition, avoiding tobacco (and even
second-hand smoke), exercise, and medical checkups
are only part of the equation. Know the warning
signs of heart disease and take action fast.
If you have unusual chest, arm, jaw or back pain, or
shortness of breath with normal activity, don't make
the potentially deadly mistake of believing nothing
could be wrong.
Playing it safe is particularly important if you're a
middle-aged diabetic or smoker or have a family
history of heart disease.
Remember, even mild symptoms can spell real
trouble — and a delay in seeking medical attention
can mean the difference between life and death.
Understanding the real risk of the disease — and
taking steps to reduce that risk — can go a long way
toward helping you beat the odds.
This message is brought to you by the doctors in your local branch of the
Ontario Medical Association — your partners in good health.
iP Heart Smart Facts 1P IP
Did You Know ...
• February is "Heart Month." A time to educate Canadians about
heart health.
• One in four Canadians has some fOrm of cardiovascular disease,
according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
• If all vessels connected to our body's circulatory system were laid
end-to-end, they would extend for 96,560 kilometres — enough to
wrap around the earth more than twice.
• You can have high blood pressure even though you feel like you
are a calm and relaxed person. Another name for high blood
pressure is hypertension which is serious but treatable.
• Forty-one per cent of Canadians suffer from hypertension and
almost half don't know it! Check your blood pressure regularly at
your local Wal-Mart Pharmacy.
• Heart disease is the number one killer of Canadian women. Forty
per cent of Canadian women die from some sort of heart disease.
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